Parents' Guide to

The Newsroom

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Newsy drama targets adults; some drinking, mature themes.

TV HBO Drama 2012
The Newsroom Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

SFMMR
SFMMR Adult
July 20, 2012
age 14+

Another politically savvy, richly written Aaron Sorkin hit!

Great Aaron Sorkin script and some great acting. This is for teens or more mature young teens. The conflict in the story is the team at the news room trying to stay true to their values of real reporting, and how that is continually challenged by management and the deteriorating environment in news reporting, including public expectations and consumption of pop news. The story is a morality play on ethics and staying true to what you believe in even when it is hard...when what you believe in is right. Great themes for discussing with your teen. In addition, real news stories are embedded in the storyline, adding to the opportunity to put news events in context with political and social trends and how these events effect the counry, politics and individual views.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In the wake of a public gaffe that sends most of his underlings scrambling, popular News Night anchor Will McEvoy (Jeff Daniels) regroups with a brand-new staff led by uber-capable executive producer Mackenzie "Mack" McHale (Emily Mortimer). The two share a personal and professional past that makes working together particularly complicated. But Mack is also one of the few who knows what Will is capable of in THE NEWSROOM -- and she isn't afraid to push him toward greatness.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (6 ):

The Newsroom makes it known through ever-present monologues that it's tackling worthy and weighty issues, like whether "good television" and "the news" are mutually exclusive or whether journalists should have an opinion. But instead of answering those questions with nuance and intelligence, it gives us impassioned but ultimately hollow speeches and one-dimensional characters who are frustratingly chatty.

Of course, those elements are precisely what series creator Aaron Sorkin -- a critically acclaimed writer who won an Oscar for The Social Network script and multiple Emmys for his work on The West Wing -- is known for, and they usually work like a charm. But with the Sorkin magic missing from The Newsroom on multiple fronts, it makes for a show that's better in theory than in practice.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how accurately The Newsroom portrays the state of modern-day journalism and the way we get our information. How have nightly news programs changed in the past few decades, both in terms of structure and their importance to the public?

  • How have the Internet and social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook changed the way we perceive and process news? Are we more or less informed as a result?

  • Are the show's premise and characters realistic, or do they suggest an idealized version of reality? Would a show like the revamped News Night succeed with American audiences?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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